In Search of the Lord's Way
By Phil Sanders
"Why I Am a Member"
If I ask you to do something really important, I should have a reason. Today I want to tell you why I am a member of the church of Christ. Proverbs 30:5 says,
Prov. 30:5 Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver]; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.
This Bible is certainly true, because God is true and trustworthy. I've spent my whole adult life studying the word of God, and I've found it to prove true in every instance. You never have to doubt God's Word because God's character, God's honesty, God's integrity, and God's wisdom are abundantly found in the words that He gave us.
Following Christ means becoming a member of the church that He built. You'll never make a more important decision than the one to follow the Lord Jesus. Following Him brings great blessing, but it also has great challenges. We must deny ourselves; have you ever denied yourself anything? We must take up our crosses daily and follow Him; are you willing? We must offer our bodies a living sacrifice. We must love the Lord more than anything else; do you? When I ask you to become a member of the Lord's church, I'm challenging you to put God first in everything and give Him your utmost loyalty and service.
I realize how serious this challenge is, so I'm prepared to also tell you why I've chosen to follow Jesus and to become a member of His church. To follow Jesus means being involved in His church, that is His family, His kingdom, and His vineyard. You can't separate the church from Jesus or Jesus from the church. To embrace one is to embrace the other. There is no other way.
Our reading today comes from the book of Acts 2:38-41.
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself." 40 And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, "Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!" 41 So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about 3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].
People ask, "Why are you asking us to be members of the church of Christ?" I'd like to give you five reasons, reasons that matter!
1. I'm a member because Jesus loves the church and died for the church. His attitude should shape our attitudes. Ephesians 5:25-30 says,
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], 27 so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. 28 Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members (parts) of His body.
The New Testament
describes the church as God's family.
First
Timothy 3:15 says,
I Tim. 3:15 in case I am delayed, so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Jesus Himself looks at the church as His own family. The Lord Jesus asked,
Mark 3:33 And He replied, "Who are My mother and My brothers?" 34 Looking at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God [by believing in Me, and following Me], he is My brother and sister and mother."
Jesus regards the church as His family. I want to be in that family.
2. I'm a member of the church of Christ, because Jesus is my Lord and I serve Him. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. Only Jesus will judge me on the last day. Only Jesus can be my Savior. Only Jesus can forgive my sins. If I want Jesus to be my Savior, I must also accept Him as my Lord. I must follow Him.
How can I think that I'm following Him, when I'm not willing to be part of the church that He built and purchased with His own blood? The Lord Jesus said,
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
The only way to the Father, to heaven, is through Jesus
Christ.
Acts 4:12 says,
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation]."
We must follow Him.
The Lord expects His
people to be wise and loving. According
to Matthew 7:24 a wise person is one who hears His words and does them, that is
the words. The foolish person hears the
words but does not do them. I want the
Lord Jesus to count me as wise! The idea that we can do
as we please and not do what the Lord says and yet still be thought of as a
faithful Christian is mistaken.
Jesus
said,
Matt. 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Again, He asked,
Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not practice what I tell you?
If the congregation that you attend isn't following the words of the Lord, my friend you're putting your soul at risk.
The Lord Jesus expects His people to obey Him as Lord! Jesus said,
John 14:15 "If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.
Obedience is how we love
the Lord Jesus! Jesus obeyed His Father
out of love and He wants us to obey out of love too!
The Lord Jesus explained,
John 15:9 I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. 10 If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.
I want to abide in God's love and favor. To do that means I must follow the example of the Lord Jesus by keeping His commandments.
- This is why, in churches of Christ, we immerse penitent believers for the forgiveness of their sins, just like we read in Acts 2:38, and we do this rather than sprinkle infants who don't even know what's happening.
- This is why, in churches of Christ, we sing a cappella as a congregation rather than have choirs and use instruments of music.
- This is why we, as churches of Christ, have a plurality of elders as our leaders rather than a pastor system or a single bishop.
- This is why we, as churches of Christ, observe the Lord's Supper each Lord's Day.
- This is why we give cheerfully and freely as we've been prospered.
- This is why we go into all the world with the pure gospel that's in the Word of God and we teach people all that the Lord has commanded us.
- This is why, in churches of Christ, we help the needy, live godly lives, tell the truth, and love all people.
- This is why we cannot pretend sin is okay, why we say false doctrine is not as good as the truth, why we say that repentance is necessary, and why we say that morality doesn't depend on the situation but depends on what God has said.
3. I'm a member of the church of Christ because the Lord adds the saved to His church. I love the church; it's filled with people who love the Lord and love and care for each other. I want to be around people who have strong faith and strong love for God. When people obey the gospel and are saved, the Lord adds them to the church.
Acts 2:41 says,
Acts 2:41 So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about 3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].
Verse 47 says,
Acts 2:47 ... And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
The
Lord knew that we would need a family on earth to help us, to teach us, and to
keep us strong in the faith.
Paul said,
Rom. 15:14 Personally I am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge, and competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another.
We
need the strength of each other's faith to keep us spiritually involved. We also need each other when we fall and fail.
Galatians 6:1-2 says,
Gal. 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. 2 Carry one another's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].
We need to do that.
The love of Christ and
the grace of God makes us all better. Worshipping at church with other saints, and
fellowshipping with brothers and sisters, and having Bible study, all of this
enriches our lives and shapes us into people who live godly lives and love each
other. We need each other. First Peter 2:9-10 describes who we are as
Christians and members of the church, and I want to be around people like that.
He says,
I Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
The church provides the basis for the world to know the Lord and to know the gospel message of salvation. We need the church.
4. I'm a member because being "in Christ" means being in His body, the church. Galatians 3:26-27 says,
Gal. 3:26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values].
When I was baptized into Christ, I entered into a relationship with Him that I didn't have before. God counted me as His child and made me an heir of eternal life along with His Son Jesus. As a child of God, born again in baptism, I was privileged to enter the kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus told Nicodemus,
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.
What
is this birth of water and spirit? It's
baptism. What is the kingdom of God? It's the church, the body of Christ!
First Corinthians 12:13 says,
I Cor. 12:13 For by one [Holy] Spirit we were all baptized into one body, [spiritually transformed—united together] whether Jews or Greeks (Gentiles), slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit [since the same Holy Spirit fills each life].
The Scriptures clearly teach that baptism is the time that we enter the body of Christ. We know the body of Christ is the church, because the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 1:22-23,
Eph. 1:22 And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ's feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].
To be a child of God, to be in the body of Christ, means the Lord added me to His church. If I'm not in the church, I'm not "in Christ." If I'm not "in Christ," I have no promise and no hope.
Ephesians 2:12 describes the condition of people who are not Christians,
Eph. 2:12 remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from any relationship with Him], alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise [with no share in the sacred Messianic promise and without knowledge of God's agreements], having no hope [in His promise] and [living] in the world without God.
Separate from Christ,
excluded, strangers to promise, having no hope and without God!
There is a big huge difference between being "in Christ" and being "outside of Christ." According to Ephesians 2:1, those who are
outside of Christ are dead in their trespasses and sins.
Ephesians 2:19 describes what it means to be "in Christ":
Eph. 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God's people), and are [members] of God's household,
If you are in Christ and His church, you're in God's family, a fellow citizen with the saints! God doesn't exclude you as a stranger or alien anymore! Oh, I love the promise of Ephesians 1:3, which says,
Eph. 1:3 Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ,
We have hope in Christ! We have promise in Christ! I don't want anyone to miss out on these blessings. That's why I want you to become a member of the Lord's church.
5. I'm a member of the church of Christ because membership means being a citizen of heaven. If I want to go to the heavenly kingdom, I must enter God's earthly kingdom, the church. Philippians 3:20-21 says,
Phil. 3:20 But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself, will [not only] transform [but completely refashion] our earthly bodies so that they will be like His glorious resurrected body.
Consider
what a blessing it is to be a citizen of heaven! More than anything, I
want to go to heaven.
First Peter 1:3-5
says,
I Peter 1:3 Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.
Yes, I want to go to heaven! The way to heaven is through Jesus Christ and the church that He built and purchased with His own blood!
The grace of God matters! I wouldn't want to live one day outside the grace of God, not even one hour, not one minute, and not even one second without the promises of God! I know that to abide in His grace and love I must be a member of His family, the church. I wish everyone were a member of the church that Jesus built. I wish everyone were willing to deny themselves and to take up their crosses daily and follow Christ. I want everyone to know the Lord and to place their trust in Him. Please don't think you can please the Lord Jesus and at the same time reject His church. You can't have one without the other.
When you give your heart and your life to Christ in obedience to the gospel, the Lord will add you to His church. That's the only way that you can enter the Lord's church; the Lord must add you. He will add you when you place your trust in Him, firmly believing in Him and His teaching. Believing the gospel means believing in His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection. It means believing that you're accountable to Him and that He will one day come again from heaven to judge the world. Your faith in Christ means you must change your heart to turn away from sin and turn to righteousness; that's repentance. It means you'll have to deny yourself so you can take up your cross daily to follow Jesus.
When faith, and love, and repentance unite, it will move you to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God and to be baptized into Christ. When you're baptized the Lord will wash away your sins, He'll cause you to be born again, and add you to His church. You'll enter the kingdom of heaven and clothe yourself with Christ. God will consider you as one of His children. Baptism is the time that God acts upon you and makes you one of His own. Oh, I hope and pray that you will be baptized and become a member of the Lord's church today.
